U.S. patent application number 09/878418 was filed with the patent office on 2002-12-12 for economic double-story umbrella as conveniently anchored.
This patent application is currently assigned to Fu Tai Umbrella Works, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Chang, Jung-Jen, Lin, Chung-Kuang.
Application Number | 20020185167 09/878418 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25371986 |
Filed Date | 2002-12-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020185167 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin, Chung-Kuang ; et
al. |
December 12, 2002 |
Economic double-story umbrella as conveniently anchored
Abstract
A double-story umbrella includes an upper umbrella formed by an
upper umbrella cloth; a lower umbrella having a shaft and a rib
assembly pivotally secured to the shaft for securing a lower
umbrella cloth on the rib assembly; a plurality of detachable
restorable buckling devices each coupling the upper umbrella cloth
with the lower umbrella cloth; and a supporting device adjustably
detachably secured on a lower portion of the shaft and operatively
anchored on or under a ground for stably erecting the shaft and the
double-story umbrella.
Inventors: |
Lin, Chung-Kuang; (Taipei
Hsien, TW) ; Chang, Jung-Jen; (Taipei Hsien,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DOUGHERTY & TROXELL
ONE SKYLINE PLACE
SUITE 1404
5205 LEESBURG PIKE
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22041
US
|
Assignee: |
Fu Tai Umbrella Works, Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
25371986 |
Appl. No.: |
09/878418 |
Filed: |
June 12, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
135/16 ;
135/33.41; 135/33.7; 135/48; 248/156; 248/533 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45B 2025/186 20130101;
A45B 25/18 20130101; A45B 25/22 20130101; A45B 2023/0012 20130101;
A45B 15/00 20130101; E04H 12/2238 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
135/16 ;
135/33.41; 135/33.7; 135/48; 248/156; 248/533 |
International
Class: |
A45B 015/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A double-story umbrella comprising: a lower umbrella including a
central shaft, a lower rib assembly pivotally secured to the shaft
and a lower umbrella cloth having a central opening formed therein
and secured to the lower rib assembly; an upper umbrella formed
with an upper umbrella cloth secured to a top of said shaft; a
plurality of detachable restorable buckling means radially disposed
on said upper and lower umbrella cloths, each said buckling means
including an upper buckling member formed on an outer periphery of
said upper umbrella cloth and a lower buckling member formed on an
inner periphery of said lower umbrella cloth and engageable with
said upper buckling member for coupling said upper umbrella cloth
on said lower umbrella cloth; whereby upon blowing of wind, the
upper umbrella cloth will be opened from the lower umbrella cloth
by pulling the upper buckling member from the lower buckling
member; and upon releasing of the wind, the detachable restorable
buckling means will restore the upper buckling member towards the
lower buckling member to close the upper umbrella cloth on the
lower umbrella cloth; and a supporting means adjustably detachably
secured to a lower portion of said central shaft by an adjusting
screw and including a plurality of supporting members operatively
extended to be laid on a ground or anchored in a ground for stably
erecting the shaft and the double-story umbrella; and upon folding
of said plurality of supporting members towards said shaft, said
supporting means will be folded for storage and handling.
2. A double-story umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said
supporting means includes a sleeve slidably engageable with said
central shaft, and a base formed on a bottom portion of said sleeve
for pivotally securing each said supporting member to said base by
a pivot; each supporting member having a fixing hole formed therein
to be secured to the ground by passing a fastening device through
said fixing hole.
3. An umbrella according to claim 2, wherein each said supporting
member has a side wing portion circumferentially formed on an edge
portion of the supporting member.
4. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein each said supporting
member is generally formed as a flat plate having at least a recess
formed therein.
5. An umbrella according to claim 2, wherein each said supporting
member has its outer end portion pivotally secured to an upper
portion of said sleeve by a link.
6. An umbrella according to claim 5, wherein each said link is
selected from single fold and multiple folds.
7. An umbrella according to claim 5, wherein each said link of said
supporting member is pivotally secured to a bottom ferrule slidably
held on said sleeve.
8. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein each said detachable
restorable buckling means includes an upper buckling member; and a
lower buckling member having a restoring spring resiliently
retained between said upper and lower buckling members; whereby
upon wind blowing, said upper buckling member will be upwardly
pulled from the lower buckling member to open the upper umbrella
cloth from the lower umbrella cloth; and upon releasing of wind,
the restoring spring will restore the upper buckling member towards
the lower buckling member to close the upper umbrella cloth on the
lower umbrella cloth.
9. An umbrella according to claim 8, wherein said upper buckling
member is formed as a loop engageable with a button secured to a
first spring end of said restoring spring; said lower buckling
member having a base holder secured to the lower umbrella cloth for
slidably holding said button in said base holder and for securing a
second spring end of said restoring spring to said base holder.
10. An umbrella according to claim 8, wherein said lower buckling
member includes a button lid engageable with said upper buckling
member, a base holder secured to the lower umbrella cloth, and said
restoring spring having a first spring end secured to said button
lid and having a second spring end secured to the base holder;
whereby upon wind blowing, said button lid will be opened from said
base holder to open the upper umbrella cloth from the lower
umbrella cloth; and upon wind releasing, said restoring spring will
restore to close said button lid on said base holder to close the
upper umbrella cloth on the lower umbrella cloth.
11. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said upper umbrella
cloth is coupled to said lower umbrella cloth by said detachable
restorable buckling means for saving a fastening device provided
for fastening said upper umbrella cloth on a top rib of said lower
rib assembly.
Description
[0001] This application is an improvement of U.S. Patent
Application (prior application) entitled "Economic Double-story
Umbrella" filed on Feb. 16, 2001 given a serial number of: Ser. No.
09/784,155.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The prior application disclosed a double-story umbrella
having an upper umbrella cloth 3 and a lower umbrella cloth 3'
coupled each other by a plurality of buckling means 5a. However,
there is not provided with any automatic restoring mechanism for
automatically closing the upper umbrella cloth 3 on the lower
umbrella cloth 3' whenever a strong wind is gone.
[0003] Meanwhile, the prior application did not disclose a
supporting means for anchoring the central shaft of the umbrella on
a ground.
[0004] The present inventor has found the drawbacks of the prior
application and invented the present double-story umbrella which is
conveniently anchored.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a
double-story umbrella including an upper umbrella formed by an
upper umbrella cloth; a lower umbrella having a shaft and a rib
assembly pivotally secured to the shaft for securing a lower
umbrella cloth on the rib assembly; a plurality of detachable
restorable buckling devices each coupling the upper umbrella cloth
with the lower umbrella cloth; and a supporting device adjustably
detachably secured on a lower portion of the shaft and operatively
anchored on or under a ground for stably erecting the shaft and the
double-story umbrella.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is an illustration showing an opening umbrella of the
present invention.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a partial sectional drawing of the present
invention when opened.
[0008] FIG. 3 is an enlarged illustration of the restorable
buckling means from FIG. 2.
[0009] FIG. 4 shows a folded umbrella.
[0010] FIG. 5 shows the upper umbrella cloth restored to close the
lower umbrella cloth by the restorable buckling means.
[0011] FIG. 6 further shows the coupling of the buckling means from
FIG. 5.
[0012] FIG. 7 is a sectional drawing as viewed from 7-7 direction
of FIG. 6.
[0013] FIG. 8 shows the opening upper and lower umbrella cloths and
the buckling means of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 9 is a sectional drawing of the buckling means from
FIG. 8.
[0015] FIG. 10 shows a supporting means of the present invention
when extended.
[0016] FIG. 11 shows the folded supporting means from FIG. 10.
[0017] FIG. 12 shows a folded umbrella of the present invention as
stored in a bag.
[0018] FIG. 13 shows another preferred embodiment of the buckling
means as modified from FIG. 8.
[0019] FIG. 14 shows the opening of the upper and lower umbrella
cloths from FIG. 13.
[0020] FIG. 15 shows the buckling means when opening the upper and
lower cloths as shown in FIG. 14.
[0021] FIG. 16 is a sectional drawing of the buckling means of FIG.
15.
[0022] FIG. 17 shows another extended supporting means of the
present invention.
[0023] FIG. 18 shows the supporting means as folded from FIG.
17.
[0024] FIG. 19 shows further extended supporting means of the
present invention.
[0025] FIG. 20 shows the supporting means as folded from FIG.
19.
[0026] FIG. 21 shows still further embodiment of a supporting means
as extended.
[0027] FIG. 22 shows the supporting means as folded from FIG.
21.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1.about.12, a double-story umbrella of the
present invention comprises: an upper umbrella 1u; a lower umbrella
1d; a plurality of detachable restorable buckling means 5a each
coupling the upper umbrella 1u with the lower umbrella 1d; and an
adjustable foldable supporting means 100 adjustably secured on a
central shaft 1 for erecting the double-story umbrella. The
supporting means 100 may be folded towards the central shaft 1 or
may be detached from the shaft 1.
[0029] The lower umbrella 1d includes: a central shaft 1, a lower
rib assembly 2' pivotally secured to the shaft 1, a lower umbrella
cloth 3' secured to the lower rib assembly 2', and a lower spring
catch 4' resiliently lockable on the shaft 1 for locking the lower
rib assembly 2' at its opening state as shown in FIG. 2.
[0030] The lower rib assembly 2' may be single fold or multiple
folds. The rib assembly 2' as shown in the drawing figures
includes: an inner rib 21' pivotally secured to a notch 20' formed
on a top of the shaft 1, a lower stretcher rib 22' pivotally
secured to a lower runner 23' slidably held on the shaft 1 and
lockable on the shaft 1 by the lower spring catch 4' when opening
the umbrella, and a lower tail rib 24' pivotally secured to an
outer end of the stretcher rib 22' and having an innermost end of
the tail rib 24' pivotally secured to the inner rib 21' by an
auxiliary rib 25'; having an outermost end of the inner rib 21'
pivotally secured to the stretcher rib 22'.
[0031] The upper umbrella 1u includes: an upper umbrella cloth 3
having its central portion secured, fastened or formed on a top 10"
of the shaft 1 (as shown in FIGS. 2, 4) by a cap 20; and a
plurality of upper buckling members 5u radially formed on an outer
periphery of the upper umbrella cloth 3 and each engageable with a
lower buckling member 5d formed on the lower umbrella cloth 3',
with each upper buckling member 5u and each lower buckling member
5d forming a detachable restorable buckling means 5a in accordance
with the present invention. The plurality of detachable restorable
buckling means 5a are radially disposed on the umbrella cloths 3,
3'.
[0032] The central shaft 1 includes: a lower tube 11, a central
shaft 12, and an upper tube 13 telescopically engageable with one
another. Every two neighboring tubes are coupled by a U-shaped
coupling C having a ball B for locking the two tubes when engaged
and coupled together (FIG. 2).
[0033] An angle-adjusting means 6 (FIG. 2) is provided to pose or
tilt the upper tube 13 on a tube section 13a to a desired angle
(not shown) between the upper tube 13 and the tube section 13a.
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.about.9, each detachable
restorable buckling means 5a includes: an upper buckling member 5u
formed as a loop and secured on the upper umbrella cloth 3, and a
lower buckling member 5d formed on an inner periphery of the lower
umbrella cloth 3' adjacent to a central opening 30 of the lower
cloth 3'; with each lower buckling member 5d corresponding to and
engageable with each upper buckling member 5u.
[0035] The lower buckling member 5d includes: a button 5b
detachably engageable with the loop of the upper buckling member
5u, a restoring spring 5s having a first spring end secured to the
button 5b, and a base holder 5h secured on the lower umbrella cloth
3' having the button 5b slidably engageable in the base holder 5h
and having a second spring end of the restoring spring 5s secured
to the base holder 5h; whereby upon blowing of a strong wind, the
upper cloth 3 will be opened from the lower cloth 3' to form an
opening 0 between the two cloths 3, 3' for releasing the wind and
the upper buckling member 5u will pull the restoring spring 5s to
separate the upper buckling member from the base holder 5h for
forming the opening 0 between the upper and lower cloths and also
to store a restoring spring energy (a tension force) of the spring
5s (FIGS. 8, 9). Once the wind is gone, the restoring spring 5s
will restore to pull back the button 5b to close the upper cloth 3
on the lower cloth 3' (FIGS. 5.about.7).
[0036] Such an automatic restoring effect of the buckling means 5a
is not disclosed in the prior application (U.S. Ser. No.:
09/784,155).
[0037] When folding the umbrella of the present invention from FIG.
2 to FIG. 4, the upper and lower buckling members 5u, 5d are
uncoupled and the upper cloth 3 is downwardly pulled to be
flattened and superimposed on the lower cloth 3'; the supporting
means 100 folded and the tubes 11, 12, 13 dismantled; all elements
being stored in a bag B (FIG. 12) for convenient handling or
storage.
[0038] As shown in FIGS. 13.about.16, the lower buckling member 5d
is modified to include: a button lid 5b engageable with the upper
buckling member 5u formed as a loop, a base holder 5h secured to
the lower umbrella cloth 3', and a torsional restoring spring 5s
having a first spring end secured to the button lid 5b and having a
second spring end secured to the base holder 5h for normally
closing the button lid 5b on the base holder 5h, whereby upon
blowing of strong wind, the button lid 5b will be upwardly pulled
by the upper buckling member 5u of the upper cloth 3 to open the
lid 5b from the base holder 5h to open the cloths 3, 3' (FIGS.
14.about.16) and also to store the restoring energy of the
restoring spring 5s. Once the wind is gone, the restoring spring 5s
will restore to close the lid 5b on the base holder 5h to close the
upper cloth 3 on the lower cloth 3' (FIG. 13).
[0039] As shown in FIGS. 10, 11, the supporting means 100 includes:
a sleeve 101 having a base 103 formed on a bottom portion of the
sleeve 101, a plurality of supporting members 104 pivotally secured
to the base 103, and an adjusting screw 102 rotatably mounted in
the sleeve 101 for tightly fixing the sleeve 101 of the supporting
means 100 on the central shaft 1 of the double-story umbrella or
for loosening the sleeve 101 from the shaft 1 for detaching the
supporting means 100 from the shaft 1.
[0040] Each supporting member 104 has its inner end portion
pivotally secured to the base 103 by a pivot 105, and an outer end
portion of the supporting member 104 formed with a fixing hole 106
to be fixed on a ground such as by a nail or by a fastening
wire.
[0041] Each supporting member 104 is generally formed as a flat
plate having a recess or hollow portion formed in an upper surface
for saving material, decreasing weight and providing space for
accommodating the screw 102 or other parts; having at least a side
wing portion 104w circumferentially formed on a side edge of the
supporting member 104 to increase the area when loaded with soil or
sand on the supporting member 104 such as when anchored underground
or in a soil layer in a beach, thereby enhancing the stability when
erecting the umbrella.
[0042] When extending the supporting members 104 to be laid on a
ground as shown in FIG. 10, the shaft 1 will be stably,
conveniently erected as supported by the supporting means 100. When
not in use, the supporting members 104 are folded towards the shaft
1 to minimize the folding volume for a convenient handling or
storage with compact appearance of the folded umbrella to be
superior to any prior umbrella.
[0043] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, a bottom probe portion 111 of the
shaft 1 may be inserted into ground (soil) by downwardly protruding
the probe portion 111 through the supporting means 100 as shown in
solid line of FIG. 1 for helping stabilize the erection of the
shaft 1 and the umbrella. Or, the probe portion 111 may be
retracted into the sleeve 101 of the supporting means 100 as shown
in dotted line of FIG. 1 and in FIG. 10 to allow the supporting
means 100 to be laid on the ground surface.
[0044] As shown in FIGS. 17, 18, the side wing portion 104w has
been eliminated from FIG. 10 to be another modification of the
supporting means 100, and the screw 102 is also moved to a lower
portion of the sleeve 101.
[0045] As shown in FIGS. 19, 20, each supporting member 104 is
pivotally secured to an upper portion of the sleeve 101 by a link
107 which can be single fold or multiple folds.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 19, each link 107 includes: a first link
section 107a and a second link section 107b pivotally connected
together, with a hook portion 107h formed on one said link section
(e.g. the second link section 107b) for locking the other link
section when linearly extended when extending the supporting member
104.
[0047] As shown in FIGS. 21, 22, each link 107 has its inner end
pivotally connected to a bottom ferrule 108 of a bottom runner 109
slidably held on the sleeve 101 disposed about the shaft 1. The
ferrule 108 may be fixed on the shaft 1 by locking the screw 102 as
rotatably mounted in the ferrule 108. The screw 102 may also be
loosened to unlock the ferrule 108 from the sleeve 101 and from the
shaft 1 for folding the supporting members 104 towards the shaft
1.
[0048] According to the present invention, the upper cloth 3 is
coupled to the lower cloth 3' by the buckling means 5a so as to
save any fastening device including thread or wire to fasten the
upper cloth 3 on the top rib 21' of the rib assembly 2'.
[0049] The present invention may be modified without departing from
the spirit and scope of the present invention.
* * * * *